Fundraiser golf tournament to benefit Metro South Golf Charities and help club secure title sponsorship for the return of an LPGA event to Atlanta and Eagle’s Landing Country Club
ATLANTA, March 30, 2009 – Eagle’s Landing Country Club today announced the formation of the Grassroots Classic hosted by Nancy Lopez, which will be held on April 28, 2009. Proceeds from the charity tournament will benefit the Metro South Golf Charities (MSGC). The event is designed to raise awareness and funds to help MSGC search for and secure a title sponsor for the return of a Ladies’ Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament to the club and Atlanta. For 15 years up until 2006, Eagle’s Landing hosted an LPGA event that featured LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez as honorary host. Lopez is once again behind the community effort serving as the tournament’s celebrity host and on Eagle’s Landing title sponsorship search committee.
“Eagle’s Landing is one of the region’s top golf facilities with a proven track record as a premier LPGA tournament host,” said Lopez. “The previous event featured 87 Members host players, which is the most of any LPGA event and demonstrates the potential magnitude of a return event. The LPGA inspires young female athletes by creating opportunities for women in golf, and I am proud to once again partner with the club and look forward to helping them secure the right title sponsor to help ensure the return of another successful LPGA event to Atlanta.”
Atlanta's previous LPGA event which was known as the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez, exceeded the $7.4 million mark in cumulative contributions towards the Metro South Golf Charities. The LPGA event was held there from 1992 – 2006, and Lopez served as the event’s honorary host for seven years from 1999 – 2006.
The Grassroots Classic aims to raise more than $70,000 and publicly kick-off efforts to bring back an LPGA tournament. Based on historical information, an LPGA tour stop at Eagle’s Landing would provide the Henry county economy with over $2 million in annual revenues.
“The proven economic and community benefits from our having previously hosted such a very successful, long-standing LPGA event were too strong for us to walk away from,” said Dean Echols, Chairman of Metro South Golf Charities. “During this hiatus, we have had an opportunity to take a thorough look at the numbers while strengthening our wonderful facility and community support. The LPGA needs Atlanta, and we need the LPGA.
The entire board and I are committed to re-establishing Eagle’s Landing as a premier stop on the LPGA circuit.”
Sponsors and participants of The Grassroots Classic will have access to a clinic with LPGA professionals, receive autographed pictures with LPGA professionals and attend a press conference brunch with newspaper columnist, businessman, politician and radio talk-show host Herman Cain as the keynote speaker. LPGA professionals attending the Grassroots Classic include Laura Diaz, who recorded six top-10 finishes in 2008.
The Grassroots Classic sponsorships include Title ($25,000); Gold ($10,000); Silver ($5,000); and Bronze ($2,500). Individual players can sign up for $500 each. Interested participants should contact Tony Caporale at tony.caporale@ourclub.com or (770) 389-200, ext. 143, or visit www.EaglesLandingCC.com.
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